Library

ADULT GRIEF

General Grief Information

Our Newest Additions
~ Please Be Patient, I’m Grieving: How to Care For and Support the Grieving Heart by Gary Roe
~ Heartbroken: Healing from the Loss of a Spouse by Gary Roe

~ The Yellow Bird: A Tale of Love by Callie Cardamon
~ Life Happens: How to Maintain Family Strength and Unity in the Face of Adversity by Teresa Clark and Taralyn Clark
~ The Living Memories Project: Legacies That Last by Meryl Ain
~ Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive by Allison Gilbert~ Threads of Hope…. An Offering for Those Who Grieve by Beth Rotondo ~ The Big Chair, A Story of Grief and Discovery by Beth Rotondo ~ In Lieu of Flowers: A Conversation for the Living by Nancy Cobb ~ Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times by Rabbi David J. Wolpe ~ Living at God’s Speed; Healing in God’s Time by Charles W. Sidoti ~ visit Charles on Amazon ~ Fortune Cookie Wisdom: A Contemplative Perspectve by Charles W. Sidoti ~ Don’t Take My Grief Away by Doug Manning ~ When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner ~ Life is Goodbye, Life is Hello by Alla Renee Bozarth ~ Courage to Grieve by Judy Tatelbaum ~ More Than Surviving by Kelly Osmont ~ Grief by Joy and Dr. Marvin Johnson ~ The Wilderness of Grief by Alan Wolfelt ~ No One Should See What I Have Seen by Joy Johnson (in-depth look at dealing with severe trauma) ~ Praying Through Grief by Mauryeen O’Brien ~ Hello From Heaven, by William Guggenheim and Judy Guggenheim (after-death communication experiences) ~ Experiencing Life After Death: A Soul Journey that Everyone Should Take by Rev Keala Vai Noel ~ Talking to the Living and the Dead – Soul to Soul Communications by Rev Keala Vai Noel ~ Healing Grief, Finding Peace: 101 Ways to Cope with the Death of Your Loved One by Dr. Louis LaGrand ~ Love Lives On: Learning from the Extraordinary Encounters of the Bereaved by Dr. Louis LaGrand ~ After Death Communication: Final Farewells by Dr. Louis LaGrand ~ Guided Afterlife Connections: They Come to Change Lives by Rochelle Wright, MS and R. Craig Hogan, PhD
~ STUNNED by Grief: Remapping Your Life When Loss Changes Everything by Judy Brizendine
~ STUNNED by Grief Journal by Judy Brizendine

Homicide Death

~ No Time for Goodbyes: Coping with Sorrow, Anger, and Injustice After a Tragic Death by Janice Lord
~ Just Us: Overcoming and Understanding Homicidal Loss and Grief by Wanda Henry-Jenkins
~ What to Do When the Police Leave: A Guide to the First Days of Traumatic Loss by Bill Jenkins & Patricia Cornwell

Survivors of Suicide

~ Supporting Children After Suicide by Sarah Montgomery and Susan Coale
~ Why Suicide?: Questions and Answers About Suicide, Suicide Prevention, and Coping with the Suicide of Someone You Know by Eric Marcus
~ Artful Grief: A Diary of Healing by Sharon Strouse (teen suicide)
~ After Suicide: A Ray of Hope for Those Left Behind by Joseph Richman, Eleanora Betsy Ross
~ This is Survivable – When Someone You Love Completes Suicide by Sondra Sexton-Jones
~ The Empty Chair–The Journey Of Grief After Suicide by Beryl S. Glover, Glenda Stansbury (Editor)
~ Survivors of Suicide by Rita Robinson & Phyllis Hart
~ Before Their Time edited by Mary & Maureen Stimming (adult children’s experiences of parental suicide)
~ An Empty Chair: Living in the Wake of a Sibling’s Suicide by Sara Swan Miller, Martin B. Miller (Preface)
~ His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina by Danielle Steel (her son’s death by suicide)
~ A Message of Hope by Pat Overley (son’s death by suicide)
~ Do They Have Bad Days in Heaven? Surviving the Suicide Loss of a Sibling by Michelle Linn-Gust
~ Someone I Love Died By Suicide by Doreen Cammarata (helping children cope with a loved one’s death)
~ Leaving the Hall Light On: A Mother’s Memoir of Living with Her Son’s Bipolar Disorder and Surviving His Suicide by Madeline Sharples
~ Real Men Do Cry by Eric Hipple (A Quarterback’s Inspiring Story of Tackling Depression and Surviving Suicide Loss)
~ After Suicide Loss by Bob Baugher, Ph.D. and Jack Jordan, Ph.D.
~ The Last Teenage Suicide by Norman Geller (suicide death of a friend)
~ After a Parent’s Suicide: Helping Children Heal by Margo Requarth (explaining suicide to children and teens)
~ After a Suicide Death by The Dougy Center (an Activity Book for Grieving Kids)
~ But I Didn’t Say Goodbye by Barbara Rubel (helping children and families after a suicide)
~ Devastating Losses: How Parents Cope with the Loss of a Child to Suicide or Drugs by William Feigelman, John Jordan, John McIntosh, and Beverly Feigelman
~ The Reason – Hope and Help for Those Who Grieve by Sally Grablick

Bereaved Spouses / Partners

Death of a Spouse – General Information
~ When Men Grieve: Why Men Grieve Differently and How You Can Help by Elizabeth Levang
~ When Your Honey-Do Done Gone by Lorraine Neeley Fortunati
~ Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing by Thomas R. Golden
~ A Man You Know Is Grieving: 12 Ideas to Help Him Heal from Loss by Thomas Golden and James E. Miller

Death of a Spouse for Men
~ A Look in the Mirror: A Handbook for Widowers by Ed Ames
~ Widower’s Toolbox: Repairing Your Life After Losing Your Spouse by G. J. Schaefer
~ Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing by Thomas R. Golden
~ When a Man Faces Grief: 12 Practical Ideas to Help You Heal from Loss by James E. Miller & Thomas Golden
~ Learning to Laugh When You Feel Like Crying: Embracing Life After Loss by Allen Klein (death of a young spouse)
~ A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser (auto accident; multiple deaths)
~ Your Wife Has Cancer, Now What?: What to Expect When the Unexpected Happens by Carson Boss
~ Shannon’s Gift by Nate Bennett

Death of a Spouse for Women
~ Because You Were There by Sally Dalzel
~The Light of the World: A Memoir by Elizabeth Alexander
~ Widowed by Dr. Joyce Brothers
~ Divine Renovations: A Carpenter, His Soul Mate and Their Story of Love and Loss by Janice Beetle
~ Moving to the Center of the Bed by Sheila Weinstein
~ Widowed Without Warning by Joanne Shortley-Lalonde
~ Taking the Trip: A Journey Through Widowhood by Romaine Presnell
~ I’m Grieving As Fast As I Can: How Young Widows and Widowers Can Cope and Heal by Linda Sones Feinberg
~ Moving Forward on Your Own: A Financial Guidebook for Widows by Kathleen M. Rehl Ph.D. CFP
~ Finding your Way After Your Spouse Dies by Marta Felber
~ The Sisterhood of Widows: Sixteen Stories of Grief, Anger and Healing by Mary Francis
~ Chemo-Therapist: How Cancer Cured a Marriage by Mary Potter Kenyon’
~ Refined By Fire: A Journey of Grief and Grace by Mary Potter Kenyon

Bereaved Adult Children

~ Hope and Emergence: A Journey Through Grief and Postpartum Depression by Kirsten Falsey
~ What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying by Karen Wyatt, MD
~ Recovering from the Loss of a Parent by Katherine Donnelly
~ When Parents Die: A Guide for Adults by Edward Myers
~ Losing a Parent: Practical Help for You and Other Family Members by Fiona Marshall
~ A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser (auto accident; multiple deaths)
~ Finding Your Way after Your Parent Dies by Rev. Richard Gilbert & Darcie D. Sims
~ Before Their Time edited by Mary Stimming & Maureen Stimming (adult children’s experiences of parental suicide)
~ Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss by Hope Edelman
~ When All That is Left of Me is Love by Linda Campanella
~ Daddy, this is it: Being-with My Dying Dad by Julie Saeger Nierenberg

Bereaved Adult Siblings

~ Recovering from the Death of a Sibling by Katherine Donnelly
~ Running With Vince by Jonathan Kuiper
~ Letters to Sara: The Agony of Adult Sibling Loss by Anne McCurry
~ An Empty Chair: Living in the Wake of a Sibling’s Suicide by Sara Swan Miller
~ Do They Have Bad Days in Heaven? Surviving the Suicide Loss of a Sibling by Michelle Linn-Gust

BEREAVED PARENTS

General Information

~ Healing a Parent’s Grieving Heart: 100 Practical Ideas After Your Child Dies by Alan Wolfelt
~ About a Blue Angel by Diane Quartly
~ Wailing Wall: A Mother’s Memoir by Deedra Climer Order here
~ {An} Unsinkable Soul: Knocked Down…But Not Out by Margaret Jackson and Antoinette Sykes
~ Farther Along: The Writing Journey of Thirteen Bereaved Mothers by Carol Henderson
~ After The Chapters End: Preserving the Too-Short Life of Your Child by Susan T. Hessel
~ Sorrow’s Words: Writing Exercises To Heal Grief by Sheila Bender
~ Creating a New Normal… After the Death of a Child by Sandy Fox
~ I Have No Intention of Saying Goodbye by Sandy Fox
~ Children Die, Too by Joy Johnson and Marv Johnson
~ Dear Parents: Letters to Bereaved Parents by Joy Johnson
~ Recovering from the Loss of a Child by Katherine Donnelly
~ The Bereaved Parent by Harriett Sarnoff-Schiff
~ Roses In December By Marilyn Willett Heavilin (multiple deaths of children)
~ For Better or Worse by Maribeth Wilder Doerr (handbook for couples)
~ Single Parent Grief by Sherokee Ilse
~ Never Too Old for a Lullaby by Juanita White (death of an adult child)
~ Momma Mockingbird by Sauni Wood (death of an adult child)
~ Meaningful Moments: Ritual & Reflection When a Child Dies by Rana Limbo and Kathie Kobler. Order the book HERE

We Need Not Walk Alone – The national magazine of The Compassionate Friends has been described as “a support group in print,” featuring articles by and for parents, siblings, and grandparents who have experienced the death of a child in their family.

Infant Death
~ When Hello Means Goodbye by Pat Schwiebert, R.N. & Paul Kirk, M.D.
~ An Empty Cradle, A Full Heart by Christine O’Keeffe Lafser
~ Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby by Deborah L. Davis
~ Newborn Death by Centering Corporation ~ Healing Together (for couples whose baby died) by M. Lister and S. Lowell
~ MotherCare by Sherokee Ilse (physical care & beyond after a baby dies)
~ Another Baby? Maybe… by Sherokee Ilse (pregnancy after loss)
~ Coming to Term: A Father’s Story of Birth, Loss, and Survival by William H. Woodwell
~ When a Baby Dies by the Compassionate Friends
~ Sibling Grief – After Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Infant Death (grief experienced by surviving brothers and sisters)
~ Grieving Grandparents by Sherokee Isle and Lori Leininger
~ When a Grandchild Dies by Nadine Galinsky ~ Grandparents Cry Twice by Mary Lou Reed
~ Losing Malcolm: A Mother’s Journey Through Grief by Carol Henderson
~ On Loss and Living Onward: Collected Voices for the Grieving and Those Who Would Mourn with Them by Melissa Dalton-Bradford

Death of an Only Child or All Children
~ Now Childless by Kay Bevington & Don Hackett
~ First You Die by Marie Levine
~ Not So Small a Circle by Rita Stout
~ Parting is Not Goodbye by Kelly Osmont
~ Saying Olin to Say Goodbye by Don Hacket
~ Standing Beside You by Linda Mauer
~ The Secret Wound by Lois Gold
~ A Mosaic Heart: Reshaping the Shards of a Shattered Life by Terry Brady-Jones

Terminal illness
~ Lessons by Susan Abbott
~ When Every Day Matters: A Mother’s Memoir on Love, Loss and Life by Mary Jane Hurley Brant~ Letters to My Son by Mignonne Breier
~ My Porcelain Doll by Sherry Coombe
~ Healing Improv: A Journey Through Grief to Laughter by Bart Sumner

Suicide
~ Artful Grief: A Diary of Healing by Sharon Strouse (child suicide)
~ My Son, My Son by Iris Bolton (suicide death)
~ His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina by Danielle Steel (her son’s death by suicide)
~ Suicide of a Child by Adina Wrobleski
~ A Message of Hope by Pat Overley (son’s death by suicide)
~ Leaving the Hall Light On: A Mother’s Memoir of Living with Her Son’s Bipolar Disorder and Surviving His Suicide by Madeline Sharples
– My Bright Shining Star: A Mother’s True Story of Brilliance, Love and Suicide by Rhonda Sellers Elkins
~ Once the Storm is Over: From Grieving to Healing after the Suicide of my Daughter
by Nina Bingham

Drug overdose
~ For the Love of Daniel by Ann Goffe (drug overdose)
~ When a Child Dies from Drugs: Practical Help for Parents in Bereavement by Pat Wittberger and Russ Wittberger
~ Griefland: An Intimate Portrait of Love, Loss and Unlikely Friendship by Armen Baconand Nancy Miller
~ The Reason by Sally Grablick

Sudden or violent death
~ A True Story of Overcoming Grief after Losing a Child by John and Deborah Giles
~ Griefprints – A Practical Guide For Supporting A Grieving Person by Radha Stern (son’s murder)
~ A Far Cry…From Home: A Mother’s Journey of Love, Loss and Healing…Through the Eyes of an Angel by Sandy Richards (accidental death)
~ Grief: A Mama’s Unwanted Journey by Shelley Ramsey (accidental death)
~ Who Lives Happily Ever After by Sharon Turnbull (violent death)
~ When a Child Has Been Murdered by Bonnie Hunt Conrad
~ Remember Lee by Linda Musser (auto accident death)
~ A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser (multiple deaths)
~ Heaven’s Child by Caroline Flohr (teen car accident)
~ A Mother’s Journey of Love, Loss and Beyond by Jennifer L. Scalise (accidental death)
~ Recapturing the Joy: A Journal for Bereaved Parents by Deb Anthony (accidental death)
~ Journey From Mount Rainier: A Mother’s Chronicle of Grief and Hope by Judith Lingle Ryan (accidental death)
~ In His Hands: A Mother’s Journey through the Grief of Sudden Loss by Jenny Hess (accidental)
~ Amost 18: A Mother’s Journey Through Grief by Paula Marie Osipovitch (accidental death)
~ Nurturing Healing Love: A Mother’s Journey of Hope & Forgiveness by Scarlett Lewis
~ Stephen’s Moon by Marcia Carter
~ Life After the Death of My Son: What I’m Learning by Dennis L. Apple
~ Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff (accidental death)

Comforting a bereaved parent
~ What Can I Say and Do? By Kelly Osmont (what to say or do for a bereaved parent, employee, or relative)

Bereaved Dad’s Grief

~ Sweeping Up the Heart: A Father’s Lament for His Daughter by Paul W. Nisly
~ Into the Valley and Out Again by Richard Edler
~ When Goodbye is Forever: Learning to Live Again After the Loss of a Child (a father’s story) by John Bramblett
~ Grieving Dads: To the Brink and Back by Kelly Farley
~ A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss by Jerry Sittser
~ Facing a Father’s Feeling of Failure by Wayne N. Taylor
~ Amy, My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse
~ A Child Lost in Flight: Moving on After Tragedy on Flight 229 by Mohan K
~ My Shoshana: a Father’s Journey Through Loss by Rabbi Rafael Grossman
~ When a Child Dies from Drugs: Practical Help for Parents in Bereavement by Pat Wittberger and Russ Wittberger
~ Beyond Tears: Living After Losing a Child by Ellen Mitchell
~ Letters to My Son, Turning Loss to Legacy by Mitchell Carmody and Alan Petersen
~ Love and Grief, My Child My Heart by Hamp Thomas (unexplained death)
~ Real Men Do Cry by Eric Hipple (A Quarterback’s Inspiring Story of Tackling Depression and Surviving Suicide Loss)
~ Gone Boy: A Father’s Search for the Truth in His Son’s Murder by Gregory Gibson
~ Grieving the Unexpected: The Suicide of a Son by Dr. Gary LeBlanc
~ Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff
~ Healing Improv: A Journey Through Grief to Laughter by Bart Sumner

GRIEVING CHILDREN

~ Your Special Star by Jessica Collette (ages 5 and up)
~ What Happens When a Loved One Dies?: Our First Talk About Death (ages 3-6) by Dr Jillian Roberts
~ The Big Chair – A Story of Grief and Discovery by Beth Rotondo
~ Am I Like My Daddy? by Marcy Blesy (for children of all ages)
~ Thank You for Coming to Say Goodbye by Roberts & Johnson age 6-12 (death & funerals)
~ Timothy Duck by Lynn Blackburn ages 6-10 (death of a friend)
~ The Snowman by Robin Vogel ages 5-10 (death of a dad)
~ A Quilt for Elizabeth by Benette Tiffault ages 8-11 (dad’s death)
~ Learning to Say Goodbye: When a Parent Dies by Edna LeShan ages 8+
~ Secret Places: The Story of a Child’s Adventure with Grief by James Campbell age 7-10 (father’s death)
~ I Heard Your Mommy Died by Mark Scrivani ages 2-6
~ I Heard Your Daddy Died by Mark Scrivani ages 2-6
~ Someone Special Died by Joan Singleton Prestine (for young children)
~ When Someone VERY Special Dies by Marge Heegaard (a workbook to help kids grieve ages 9+)
~ A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes (for children who have witnessed violence and trauma ages 4+)
~ We Were Going to Have a Baby But We Had an Angel Instead by Pat Schwiebert (ages 3+)
~ Brave Bart by Caroline H. Sheppard (traumatized cat seeking help to cope)
~ The Empty Place by Roberta Tremes ages 5-10 (death of a sibling)
~ No New Baby by Centering Corporation (for children 4-8 whose mommy miscarries)
~ Am I Still a Sister? by Alicia Sims ages 6+
~ It’s OK: Survival Kit for Bereaved Brothers and Sisters by Thomas Crouthamel, Sr.
~ Grandpa’s Berries by Julie Dickerson ages 7-10
~ Green Mittens for Grandma by Bernice Hanks ages 5-9
~ After a Parent’s Suicide by Margo Requarth (explaining suicide to children and teens)
~ A Child Remembers by Enid Traisman (grief journal for children ages 8-12)
~ And Still They Bloom: A Family’s Journey of Loss and Healing by Amy Rovere (ages 9 – 12)
~ The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story Of Life For All Ages by Leo Buscaglia
~ The Giving Tree by Shel Siverstein ahes 10+
~ My Uncle Keith Died by Carol Loehr (suicide death)

Teens
~ How It Feels When a Parent Dies by Jill Krementz (age 6-18)
~ Facing Change by Donna O’Toole
~ Dear Zoe by Phillip Beard
~ Healing Your Grieving Heart for Teens by Alan Wolfelt
~ When a Friend Dies by Marilyn Gootman
~ Straight Talk About Death for Teenagers by Earl Grollman
~ Flowers for the Ones You’ve Known by Centering Corporation (letters from grieving teens)
~ When Death Walks In by Mark Scrivani
~ I Will Remember You by Laura Dower
~ The Grieving Teen by Helen Fitzgerald
~ Help for Hard Times by Earl Hipp
~ The Last Teenage Suicide by Norman Geller (suicide death of a friend)
~ After a Parent’s Suicide: Helping Children Heal by Margo Requarth (explaining suicide to children and teens)
~ After a Suicide Death by The Dougy Center (an Activity Book for Grieving Kids)
~ But I Didn’t Say Goodbye by Barbara Rubel (helping children and families after a suicide)
~ In My World by Linda Lazar (journal for teens who are facing a life-threatening illness)
~ Hurting Yourself by Jeanne Harper (for teens who have attempted suicide)
~ A Teenager’s Book About Suicide by Earl Grollman
~ Fire in My Heart, Ice in My Veins by Enid Traisman (grief journal for teens)
~ If Only by Carole Geithner (returning to school after a parent’s death)

Miscellaneous Topics

Healing the Emotional Side of Loss and Grief
~ The Four Things That Matter Most: A Book About Living by Ira Byock
Four simple phrases – “Please forgive me,” “I forgive you,” “Thank you,” and “I love you” – carry enormous power. In many ways, they contain the most powerful words in our language. These four phrases provide us with a clear path to emotional wellness; they guide us through the thickets of interpersonal difficulties to a conscious way of living that is full of integrity and grace.

Alzheimer’s Disease
~ “to remember love”, two promises that led me to the notes in the ashes by Tonya Ferguson
~ Still Alice by Lisa Genova (a work of fiction)

End of Life~ What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying by Karen M. Wyatt, M.D.What Really Matters is a collection of stories from the files of a hospice physician that reveal the end-of-life wisdom of several dying patients and their families. Each touching story provides a glimpse into the final days of life of a terminally ill patient through the eyes of the doctor who provided medical care during that difficult time.

AIDS Death
~ AIDS: The Ultimate Challenge by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
~ Recovering from the Loss of a Loved One from AIDS by Katherine Donnelly
~ Losing Uncle Tim by Mary Kate Jordan (explaining AIDS death to children age 8+)

Pregnancy After Loss
~ Another Baby? Maybe. . . by Sherokee Ilse with Maribeth Doerr
~ Trying Again: A Guide to Pregnancy After Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss by Ann Douglas
~ Helping Children Cope with Infant Sibling Death
~ Talking With Children About Perinatal Loss by Bereavement Services Resource
~ Where’s Jess? A book for Siblings by Ray and Jody Goldstein (death of a young sibling)
~ How I Came to Hold You by Ben Wakeling

Of Interest to Parents, Educators, School CounselorsThe Family Tree by Laurie Copmann
Many years ago, strong hands planted a tiny tree into the ground. Throughout the years, the tree grew and grew and became a wondrous sight. Its many branches offered shade in the summer and provided a home to birds and shelter to animals. It became known as the family tree with its branches representing each person in the family.
One night, a strong wind tore a branch from the family tree. The loving hands that planted the tree helped ease the feeling of loss by coming up with a creative plan for the broken branch.
A picture book for all ages, The Family Tree shares an inspiring promise of hope in the aftermath of a storm.

Addiction and Recovery
~ Adult Children of Alcoholics by Janet Woititz
~ Struggle for Intimacy by Janet Woititz
~ Coping with the Stressed-Out People in Your Life by Ronald G. Nathan and Marian R. Stuart
~ Kids Are Worth It!: Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline by Barbara Coloroso

SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS

~ The Empty Chair by Robert C. De Vries & Susan Zonnebelt-Smeenge (bereaved spouses)
~ A Decembered Grief: Living with Loss While Others are Celebrating by Harold Ivan Smith
~ Healing Your Holiday Grief: 100 Practical Ideas for Blending Mourning and Celebration During the Holiday Season by Alan Wolfelt
~ Holiday Hope: Remembering Loved Ones During Special Times of the Year by Fairview Press (short essays with practical tips for coping with grief)
~ Thoughts for the Holidays by Doug Manning
~ 35 Ways to Help a Grieving Child from the Dougy Center
~ Getting Past Christmas by Carlene Enroth
~ Sweet memories by Elaine Stillwell (creating memories for the holidays)
~ Helping the Bereaved Celebrate the Holidays by James Miller
~ How Will I Get Through the Holidays? by James Miller
~ Mourning Discoveries by Roberts & Findlay (for bereaved parents and their families)